


The New Storybrooke

by breeb381



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: F/F, Slow Burn
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-12-04
Updated: 2014-12-04
Packaged: 2018-02-28 04:03:41
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 10,677
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2718113
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/breeb381/pseuds/breeb381
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>AU after Neverland. Henry has been saved, and Regina and Emma couldn't be more grateful. But back in Storybrooke, strange weather has been brewing, and the two are forced to deal with their feelings for each other or else risk the end of Storybrooke all together. Will they face their emotions and save the town once more? Or is Storybrooke doomed? SwanQueen. M for later chapters.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Just A Kiss Goodnight

Regina couldn’t sleep. Despite having finally, after spending far too much time on that god-forsaken island, rescued Henry, Regina was tense and worried. She should have been relieved now that Henry was back into her life, safe and sound, but the only thing she could think of were the events that had transpired just hours earlier. ****

_After having tucked Henry into bed, holding him close for some time before he finally shut his eyes in a peaceful slumber, Regina slipped quietly out of the Captain’s quarters, slowly making her way to her own room. She had insisted on having her own sleeping quarters when first leaving for Neverland, but now with so many people traveling back to Storybrooke, she didn’t have much choice about having a roommate. Fortunately, Tinkerbell had offered to take up that slot, deciding to give Regina another chance, despite their history. And even more fortunately, Tinkerbell seemed more concerned about catching up with Neal than taking to her bed chambers, leaving Regina alone - as she’d always been._

_She hadn’t even begun changing yet when there was a knock on her door. Regina immediately felt her heart race in panic, petrified that something was wrong with Henry. Leaping towards the door, she flung it open only to be stopped short by the shuffling sheriff, whom looked extremely uncomfortable, her hand clenching the back of her neck and her eyes downcast, blonde hair falling in front of her face. How Regina wanted to reach out and tuck it back, cradling her cheek…_

_Regina mentally cleared her throat at the thought, pushing such idiotic and unrealistic notions aside. Instead, she quirked an eyebrow, her lips curving slightly into an amused smirk._

_“Miss Swan. How might I help you at this late hour. Shouldn’t you be celebrating with your family and…suitors?”_

_Venom bit “suitors,” and Regina smirked as Emma’s eyes finally made contact with Regina’s, flashing with anger for just a moment before settling on something Regina didn’t quite recognize._

_“Uh…look. I just wanted to say…thank you. If it weren’t for you…we never would have been able to save Henry. So…yea, thanks.”_

_Emma felt slightly uncomfortable in her apology, unsure of how to approach the mayor given the circumstances. Her mind wouldn’t stop replaying the events at the tree, when Regina broke free, saving them all. The look of determination and resilience in the woman’s eyes sent a shiver down Emma’s spine. Emma felt guilty, her own regrets weighing her down after being brought back to the forefront of her mind._

_“Yes, well, you’re…quite right,” Regina frowned, confused as to the woman’s confession._

_A tense moment settled around them, and Emma was about to excuse herself when Regina continued._

_“Would you care to join me for a drink, Ms. Swan?”_

_The words surprised both women, especially Regina, but what surprised them both was Emma’s rapid response._

_“Sure.”_  

_With a shrug of her shoulders, Emma entered the room as Regina stepped back, opening the door wider. She didn’t know why, but Emma half-expected the room to be more lavish, assuming the woman would have used magic to create something more to her standards, but the room remained untouched._

_Emma stood awkwardly in the middle of the room as Regina pulled open a loose floor board to reveal a bottle of MacCutcheon Scotch Whisky and two glasses, causing Emma to smirk. It was her brand._

_“I do hope you don’t mind whiskey, Ms. Swan. Rum is much too vile,” Regina sniffed._

_“I prefer whiskey anyways.”_

_Regina raised an eyebrow in conceited disbelief, pouring them both a hearty glass._

_“Cheers,” Emma began, Regina interjecting. “To saving Henry.”_

_“And to you,” Emma added, giving Regina a look of profound respect and admiration._

_Both women took a healthy sip of their drinks, taking a moment to enjoy the warmth curl down their throats, both lost in their respective thoughts. Regina finished the rest of the liquid in her glass, Emma quickly following suit, thrusting the glass toward Regina who promptly turned on her heel to refill their glasses, not a word passing between the two._  

_Emma stole the opportunity to watch Regina from behind, her eyes wandering down the woman’s curves until settling on her backside. For awhile now, Emma had realized her attraction to the other woman, but she adamantly insisted to herself that she liked men, not women, and that she only felt this way about Regina because of all the fighting they did. Still, a small voice in the back of her mind questioned the validity of her justification._

_Emma’s eyes snapped up as Regina turned back around. Regina had felt the heavy glare of the woman upon her but did not think much of it. Passing Emma’s full glass back to her, she nodded her head in acknowledgment of the other woman, a silent toast, before both of them took a sip. Emma could feel the liquor starting to take affect, spreading a warmth throughout her body. Tilting her head to the side, she eyed Regina closely, causing the other woman to quirk an eyebrow in question._

_“You know…you don’t only have Henry,” Emma proclaimed, her fuzzy mind encouraging her to spill the truth from her lips._

_Regina’s eyebrows pinched together, confused at first as to what Emma was talking about, before remembering the heart-wrenching confession she had made to Emma when Pan had taken Henry’s heart. Her mind reeled at what Emma actually meant by that, sure that she had a hidden agenda. But as Regina glared questioningly into those blue eyes, she could see nothing but honesty and…_

_“I mean, you know, you’ve got me. I mean, we’re both Henry’s moms, so I guess we’re stuck with each other whether we like or not.”_

_Emma shrugged her shoulders, clasping her drink tightly, smiling sheepishly at Regina through hooded eyelashes. For a moment, Regina stood still, surprised at the woman. What did she say to that? Her immediate reaction was to scoff and dismiss the notion, her lips immediately curving into a snarl, ready to attack. But Regina stopped herself as a thought shot through her mind._

'Maybe she means it.'

_Emma grinned at Regina, shrugging her shoulders once more before_

_“Anyways, Regina, I should probably get going,” she started, putting her glass down on the end table. “It’s getting late, and we’ll have to be up ear-“_

_Emma turned around, startled for Regina to be just inches from her face. Emma’s breath hitched as the woman leaned forward to rest her own glass on the table. Regina’s eyes tore into every sparkle behind Emma’s eyes, looking for a sign that she should move, that the invasion of personal space had finally crossed the line. Instead, she saw a hint of fear, anger and…lust._  

_Taking a step forward, Regina effectively trapped Emma between herself and the table. For 20 seconds, Regina merely stood there gazing into Emma’s eyes, trying to read every secret she could find, and Emma complied, refusing to even blink, unsure why her feet refused to move._

_All thoughts of moving were abruptly put to rest when Regina closed the last space between them, dipping her lips to hover just above Emma’s before gently pressing their lips together, tentative but also with a sense of urgency._

_At first Emma didn’t react._ ‘Regina Mills is kissing me.’ _The thought swam throughout Emma’s mind until her body caught up and she began moving her lips, her hands coming to rest on Regina’s hips while Regina’s hands moved to cup her face._

_Regina pulled back, but kept their lips dangerously close as she nuzzled Emma with her lips and nose ever so slightly. Emma foolishly grinned and, without thinking, pulled Regina’s lips back down to meet her own, this time deepening the kiss and pulling Regina’s hips closer to hers. Regina quietly gasped, surprised at Emma’s boldness, but taking it as a sign to continue. Regina snaked her tongue over Emma’s bottom lip, and Emma gladly allowed her entrance, entangling her fingers in Regina’s hair._

_BANG!_

_Both women jumped apart, jolted by the sudden noise, causing a glass to spill onto the floor. A light giggle could be heard from the other side of the door as it swung open to reveal Tinkerbell, seeming slightly intoxicated by the way she supported herself with the door. Upon seeing the two flushed women standing awkwardly in the middle of the room, Tinkerbell grinned._

_“‘Gina! Emma! Now it’s a party!”_

_Tinkerbell stumbled toward them, and Regina immediately rushed forward helping her to bed. Emma stood there helplessly, her heart pounding in her chest._ ‘What the hell just happened?’ 

_Before Regina even had the chance to turn around, Emma had raced out of there, securing herself in her own quarters, leaving Regina with a passed out Tinkerbell as she stood in the middle of the room alone - just as she’d always been._

Regina sighed, resigned to not being able to sleep. Little did she know, Emma had conceded her night to the same fate.


	2. Home Is Where You Can Eat For Free

Regina groaned as she rolled over, grabbing the pillow she had been lying on and smothering her head in an attempt to drown out the sunrise and loud footsteps above her. She knew she couldn’t have slept long, and she wanted nothing more than to bury herself under the covers and pretend that she was back in her large, queen-sized bed with a down comforter and feathered pillows… ****

A sudden jolt from the ship caused the room to wobble violently, forcing Regina to role from the mattress onto the floor with a dull “thump.” A light snicker followed by a low moan drew Regina’s eyes to lie on the hungover faerie who looked like she sorely regretted her decisions from the previous night. 

“If the room wasn’t spinning, I’d have found your lack of grace quite amusing,” Tinkerbell grimaced but smirked slightly.

Regina merely glared at the blonde before standing and swiftly sweeping a hand over herself, the rumpled mess she had been transformed into the Mayor’s usual crisp self, opting for her pair of tight, black pants, red blouse and blue blazer: an outfit she had become all too familiar with recently. And of course, not a single hair laid out of place. But despite Regina’s sharp wardrobe, Tinkerbell noticed the woman didn’t seem to stand with the confidence and power that usually radiated from her.

“Tinkerbell, dear, try and tidy up a bit. I do believe we are back.”

The words chased the curious thoughts of concern over Regina’s peculiar demeanor as she forced herself to her feet, a smile blossoming the young woman’s face. Regina herself couldn’t help the small twitch of her lips at Tinkerbell’s eagerness.

Not waiting for Tinkerbell to catch up, Regina ascended to the deck above and was met with a gust of wind sprinkled with sea salt. Her eyes sparkled as she saw Storybrooke’s dock in sight. Smiling her first genuine smile in…well, she couldn’t remember the last time she smiled so brightly. She searched around deck for Henry and saw him over at the wheel with that furious one-handed mongrel and…Emma. Regina’s heart leapt into her throat and a wave of jealousy crashed through her body, but she pushed it back from the shore and watched from afar.

 

(x)

 

Emma had awoken, after a solid hour of tossing and turning, before waking up before the sun even rose. She desperately tried to retain even a few more minutes of sleep, but with a huff, she gave up and threw off the covers, her bare feet touching the cold ground. She glanced over at the other bed where Wendy Darling slept, oblivious to her roommate’s actions.

Quickly pulling on a pair of her jeans, boots and classic leather jacket, Emma headed to the Captain’s quarters to check on Henry, only to find his empty, disheveled bed. Frowning as a shot of terror zipped through her spine, Emma ran up the stairs to the deck, her eyes flitting around, attempting to locate her son.

She released a breath she hadn’t known she’d been holding as she saw him at the helm of the ship with…Hook. A growl settled in the back of her throat. She didn’t want Henry becoming too acquainted with the pirate. Had she kissed him? Yes. But it was really more of a thank you, pity kiss, and even then…they _had_ been stuck on that island for far too long. He was convenient and easy, and Emma regretted the kiss as soon as it happened. She didn’t want Hook, nor Henry, getting the wrong idea.

Hands in her pockets, she dragged herself up the steps to the pair, not wanting to be near Hook, but also wanting to be near Henry. Henry smiled brightly and ran to hug Emma tightly, causing Emma to grin.

“Emma! Hook was letting me steer the boat! It’s so cool! He said that when we get back to Storybrooke that we could go out on the water sometime, and he would teach me more!”

Emma’s lips started their descent into a frown as her eyes shot up to glare at Hook who wore a look of pride and smugness as well as a not-so-hidden want brushing the edges of his eyes.

“Did he now? Well…we’ll see. I don’t know how I feel…”

Henry had stopped listening, returning his attention back to steering them toward Storybrooke, leaving Hook to slide his way over by Emma. 

“He has a natural talent,” Hook began, a suggestive smile plaguing his lips. “Nothing compared to his mother, though.”

Emma had crossed her arms, feeling uncomfortable in the pirate’s presence. Really, she knew it was her own fault; she had encouraged his forwardness, but now that Henry was back and she was able to think about everything, she had no desire to go down the path that Hook seemed all too happy to offer her. And then after last night…

Her eyes glazed over suddenly as she remembered Regina’s body pressed against hers, Regina’s lips painting Emma’s with a gentleness the blonde hadn’t expected. Instinctively, Emma reached up and touched her lips, wishing she could feel that sensation again. _‘No. This isn’t right. I mean, this is Regina! Regina, the Evil Queen, the mayor that made my life a living hell. No. No no no no.’_ But Emma knew that it didn’t matter how many times she repeated the mantra in her head; the words were a lie. Emma liked the kiss, and it scared the crap out of her.

Hook, who had been watching Emma intently, mistook her touching her lips as a remembrance when _they_ had kissed, and he grinned, invading her personal space, forcing Emma’s attention back to the present.

“Remembering our encounter, love? Looking for a repeat performance?”

Emma took a step back, eyes glancing at Henry, thankful he was too immersed in steering to be paying attention to the events playing out just beyond ear shot.

“Not at all. That was a one time fluke. It’s not happening again.”

Hook merely smirked, not the least bit put-off by Emma’s rejection. He was in this for the long-haul.

“Oh, c’mon love. You enjoyed it before.”

Emma barely kept herself from rolling her eyes as Hook winked at her. Knowing that Henry was safe (well, as safe as he could be with that pirate), Emma turned to walk away and her eyes locked on the woman who had plagued her thoughts since the previous night.

Both women’s hearts fluttered sporadically, but before either of them could react, Hook had hooked his arm around Emma’s back, resting his hand on her hip.

“Land, ho!” he shouted, pulling Emma closer.

Regina’s eyes narrowed but she turned her back on the despicable creature who referred to himself as a captain, ready to get the hell off of that over-crowded ship.

 

(x)

 

The group of heroes had been greeted with a thunderous roar of applause, the town’s residents running forward to hug the people they loved. No one matched Belle’s enthusiasm, however, as she flung herself into Gold’s arms. She had missed him dearly, and if his toothy grin was any indication, he had missed her just the same. Granny and Ruby both ran towards Emma while the dwarves surrounded Snow and Charming before everyone enveloped Henry. Regina remained in the back, away from everyone else; no one was happy to see her. Even Tinkerbell received a not-quite warm welcome from the Blue Fairy, but a welcome, nonetheless.

Emma noticed Regina standing alone and moved to go by her, but she paused, wary of how Regina might react given the events of last night. Before Emma could decide whether or not to approach the older woman, the dwarves surrounded her in welcome, taking the choice completely away from her. Ruby broke through the crowd of them and wrapped her arm around Emma’s waist in a sideways hug. 

“Celebration at Granny’s!”

The group chatted excitedly as they all started to head into town, Ruby keeping an arm around Emma. Emma smiled at her friend. She’d missed the girl, and goodness only knows that Emma needed her best friend after everything.

“We need to talk,” she whispered in her ear.

Ruby’s eyebrows shot up and a conspiratorial smile spread over her lips as she nodded eagerly. Wrapping her arm around Ruby’s waist, the two girls followed everyone back, as Regina stood alone on the dock, her eyes ablaze with hurt and jealousy.


	3. Eye Contact is for the Weak

It had been three days since everyone had returned to Storybrooke, and those three days had been anything but relaxing. While at Granny’s the night of their return, the ground began to shake violently, causing everyone to grab ahold of something so as not to topple to the ground. A few minutes later, the shaking had stopped, and Granny quickly explained that ever since the group had left for Neverland, there had been strange weather phenomena all throughout Storybrooke. Earthquakes had become a normal occurrence as had random thunder storms that turned to hail before turning into a warm sunny day. They had taken precautions - turning the library and church into sanctuaries in case of an emergency - but there wasn’t much else anyone could do besides wait out whatever weather the day brought.

Unfortunately, that left Emma and David working overtime, doing everything they could to keep the town as safe as possible, which meant that Emma barely saw Henry and almost never slept. In fact, Henry had been staying with Regina, much to the chagrin of Snow. Snow was appreciative of everything Regina had done, but she still didn’t quite trust her with her grandson. But, as Emma constantly reminded her, Regina was Henry’s mother, and that trumped grandmother.

After having dealt with a particularly nasty thunderstorm that caused a tree to fall and block off the main road, Emma received a text message, surprisingly, from Mr. Gold.

_Your presence is required at my shop._

Emma rolled her eyes and glanced at David, whose phone had also gone off.

“Gold?”

David nodded his head and gave her a small smile.

“Maybe he brewed that cure for me.”

Emma’s eyes widened slightly and she smiled hopefully. In the craziness that had swept them up in a whirlwind since they'd been back, she had completely forgotten about the cure. Jumping up, she grabbed David’s arm and dragged him out of the sheriff’s office. The two of them might have had their differences, but Emma was finally starting to come around to David and Snow being her parents, especially David, whom didn’t have the tendency to hover and meddle like Snow.

“It’s about time we heard some good news,” she grinned, walking arm in arm with him out of the station.

 

(x)

 

When Emma and David arrived at the Pawn Shop, they abruptly ended their conversation at the sight of Belle snogging Rumple against the counter. The two had quickly jumped apart at the sound of the bell on the door, but it was too late; David and Emma had gotten an eyeful. Belle blushed a deep red and Rumple cleared his voice while Emma and David felt like throwing up.

“So uh…what’s up Gold?” Emma sputtered, trying to alleviate the awkwardness enveloping them. “Why’d you need me and Dav-”

Emma was cut off as the door to the shop opened again to reveal Snow. Snow looked surprised and relieved that she wouldn’t be the only one in the little shop, and she quickly went over to David, hugging him tightly before pulling Emma close to her as well.

“You’ll have to wait a minute, dearie. We’re missing one more.”

Sure enough, the door opened one last time and in walked Regina, whom initially looked quite surprised to see the group, before her mask of indifference slipped back into place while she avoided looking toward Emma at all costs.

“Gold, what is the meaning of this? I don’t have time for foolish antics.”

Gold merely smiled. He had sent a separate text to her, making sure to add _please_. 

“First, for David.” Gold pulled out a small vial from behind the counter before handing it to the man. “Your cure.”

Snow took it before David could and quickly uncorked it before shoving it at Charming, a hopeful grin spreading across her face.

David, however, was slightly more wary.

“What’s the price, Gold?”

Gold smirked mischievously but a quick nudge from Belle paired with a look that clearly showed they’d had this conversation before caused Gold to sigh.

“As Belle has pointed out, we are family, so just this once…let’s call it on the house.”

David eyed him, trying to find a hidden agenda. Seeing none, he quickly downed the contents of the vial. At first, he didn’t feel any differently, but then he felt a tingle spread throughout his body and his knees buckled. Emma and Snow caught him quickly, but David quickly righted himself.

“I’m okay, I’m okay,” he reassured. “Just…a little shaky.”

He righted himself before turning to Gold.

“Thank you.”

Regina, who had been watching the spectacle, stepped forward, arms crossed under her chest.

“Yes, thank you Gold. That still doesn’t explain why _I_ need to be here. Surely, you did not need me standing here to watch him take a potion.”

Gold merely smirked at the woman, flourishing his hand as if he were to pull something out of thin air. “And that brings us to the second order of business! As we are all aware, there have been some repercussions from the little magical episode before we left.”

Charming and Snow shot a pointed look at Regina, but Emma turned her eyes to the ground, shuffling her feet and separating herself from her parents some. She didn’t hold the woman responsible like she knew her parents did. The only change in Regina’s mask was a flare in her nostrils and a twitch of her lips.

“Such side effects are quite normal after such a powerful curse,” Gold continued, ignoring the group’s reactions. “But I daresay now that Regina and Ms. Swan are back, thinks are quite likely to get worse.”

David and Snow looked like they were ready to jump down both Gold and Regina’s throats while Emma just looked confused. Regina, on the other hand, thinned her lips, and for the first time looked somewhat worried.

“What’s the meaning of this Gold?” David demanded. “What has Emma got to do with this?”

“Regina is the one who cast the curse!” Snow added.

“Ah yes but you see, it was Regina _and_ Emma who absorbed it. Neverland kept the after effects to a minimum, but now that they are both back here in Storybrooke…well, things are sure to get worse before they get better.”

For the first time since they’d been back at Storybrooke, Emma and Regina looked at each other, a million thoughts and questions running through their minds, but neither of them daring to voice any of them.

“So now what?” Snow asked, wrapping her arms around Emma.

“Now dearie, we wait.”

Emma shoved her hands in the pockets of her leather jacket, shuffling away from her mother to take a step closer towards Regina. If she hadn’t known better, she’d have thought that Regina had leaned in towards her as well. The action, while lost on the Charmings, did not go unnoticed by Gold who made a mental note for later.

After a few moments, Belle, who had been forgotten by everyone, cleared her throat.

“Well…obviously this is something that needs to be investigated. I’ve been looking in the library  for something that might help with the weather, but I didn’t know about Emma and Regina’s involvement. Maybe we can find something that will help?”

Belle’s words seemed to ignite something inside of Snow and David, who joined in quickly.

“Maybe we should go back down into the mines and see if there’s anything that could help us.”

“And maybe Ruby could investigate the area. She might be able to sense the changes in the weather more easily because of the whole wolf…thing.”

“Or she can help Belle research in the library!”

“We could get Tinkerbell to work with the Blue Fairy. Maybe they have some idea of what’s going on?”

The three kept tossing ideas around while Gold, Regina and Emma stayed uncharacteristically silent. Regina and Emma, specifically, kept shooting glances at each other, both trying to catch the other’s eyes but too timid to stare for too long. Gold just smirked, putting a hand on Belle’s lower back.

Finally, Regina raised her hand. “As this involves myself and Ms. Swan, we shall figure out what must be done. Belle…I highly doubt the library contains any books that would help the situation but research if you must.”

Snow and David started to protest but Emma interjected before they could. “Regina’s right. There’s not much that anyone else can do. Regina and I will have to figure this out for ourselves.”

She gave Regina a small, shy smile before shrugging her shoulders. “Now if there’s nothing else, Gold, we gotta go. Thanks for…whatever this was.”

The group filed out of the shop, Snow refusing to let go of Emma as she whispered quickly, glancing over at Regina every so often, who merely rolled her eyes.

Gold turned to Belle after they’d left. “I do believe this shall prove to be interesting.”

 

(x)

 

“Ms. Swan, a moment please,” Regina called as the woman started to walk back towards the station with David.

Emma’s heart leapt into her throat. Snow’s grip on the woman tightened, obviously concerned about what Regina would want from her daughter, but Emma pat her hand gently, giving her a small smile of reassurance.

“I’ll catch up to you back at the station,” she said to David with that same smile. Understanding the silent plea for Mary Margaret to let go of her, David gently took hold of Snow and dragged her away from Emma.

Emma swallowed her nerves as she turned to face Regina. These last three days had given Emma plenty of time to try and sort through the emotions she felt about that night. While she finally found it in herself to admit that there might be a teeny, tiny, minuscule chance that she found Regina attractive, that didn’t mean that there would be a repeat of that night. After all, she was straight, and then there was Neal, and now Hook, not to mention Henry. Oh gosh, what would Henry say? And she didn’t even want to think about her parents. 

“Regina,” Emma finally breathed, trying to crack a small smile, still avoiding direct eye contact. “So…I guess, uh, we should ya know, discuss this weather situation thing.”

Regina eyed Emma’s hand as it tangled itself through her limp curls, a nervous habit she had become familiar with observing.

“Yes, no doubt we should,” she replied, sharper than she had intended, also avoiding eye contact. “However, I have business to take care of this evening, and I know you have not gotten to spend much time with Henry, so if you would pick him up from school, I’m sure he would enjoy having dinner with you and the two - your parents.”

Regina felt supremely uncomfortable having this conversation with Emma, whom had frozen her hand at Regina’s announcement. She wasn’t accustomed to expressing any sort of feelings, especially those of kindness, towards others, least of all Emma Swan. But after their rescue mission in Neverland, something inside of Regina found comfort in Emma, and their slight intoxication was enough for her to finally say, or rather, do, something about it. Now, all she could think about over the last three days was how to confront Emma about the whole situation. Gold had given them a perfect opportunity, much to Regina’s chagrin, but at least it gave her an excuse to approach the woman she still couldn’t look in the eyes.

Emma was surprised that Regina didn’t say anything else. There was no mention of Neverland, of the kiss. She just stared at Regina, her eyebrows knit together and mouth slightly agape as she tried to understand the woman before her.

Becoming impatient, Regina proclaimed, “Of course, if you are too busy to see our son, I’m sure he would understand.”

That snapped Emma back at attention.

“No! No, that’d be great. David and Snow have been wanting to have a family dinner anyways. You know, if you wanted, you could join-”

“As I said, Ms. Swan, I have things to take care of, specifically trying to find out more about this weather. But when you drop Henry off later, we can discuss what course of action we should take.”

Emma nodded her head, her mouth drying slightly at the thought of being alone with Regina later.

“Sounds good. We can, uh, discuss…things.”

Regina stiffened at Emma’s vagueness, but nodded her head anyways. “Yes. Well. Until then.”

Regina took the last moment to look Emma in the eyes, and the two stared into each other for moments, both pairs of eyes darkening slightly, before Regina swiftly spun on her heel, marched to her car and pulled away.


	4. Clicking Your Heels Won't Send You Home

The rest of the day seemed to last forever, and Emma found herself constantly glancing at the clock on the wall. When she had explained that Henry would be coming over, David immediately called Snow, and before she knew it, there were plans for a family feast at her parent’s. Although Emma wasn’t exactly the type to be thrilled by a family dinner, she couldn’t stop herself from smiling. She’d barely seen Henry since they’d been back, and she knew her parents missed him just as much. _‘For once, maybe this family thing won’t be so bad.’_

When it was time to pick Henry up, Emma nearly jumped out of her chair and fled the Sheriff’s office, with just a quick wave goodbye to David, who reminded her to be on time for dinner.

Henry was ecstatic to see Emma. He immediately dropped his bags before running and flinging himself into her arms, hugging her tightly. Emma stumbled backwards slightly, forgetting just how big Henry was getting.

“Henry, go get your backpack. Then the afternoon is yours.”

Henry immediately ran back to get his stuff before leaping into the passenger side of Emma’s bug, hopping impatiently in the seat. Emma just grinned and shook her head before taking her position as the driver.

After some convincing from Henry and a promise to not say anything to Regina, the two stopped briefly at Granny’s and picked up two ice creams to-go before heading toward the pier. It was the weekend, so Emma figured that the two could spend some quality time together instead of worrying about him completing his homework.

Despite all of the weather fluctuations lately, it was currently quite nice out. It was slightly overcast, but the clouds didn’t threaten rain, and the sun was shining brightly. Their walk started with Henry babbling on about school and some new game that he wanted to get. After awhile, Henry grew quiet. They had long ago finished their ice cream, and the two found themselves sitting on the shore, near where Henry’s castle used to be. He glanced back to the spot, Emma’s eyes following suit, Henry immediately starting to look sad.

“Hey, kid. Do you remember the last time we were here? By your castle?” Emma asked.

Henry took just a second to think before replying with a smile. “Yeah. You told me why you gave me away. You wanted to give me my best chance.”

Emma nodded her head. “Yeah. I did. I knew I couldn’t give you the life you deserved, and it was the hardest decision I’d ever made. But it was the right decision. And look at all that you grew up with, all that you have.”

Henry shrugged his shoulders, looking down at the sand. “I know. I love you all. And I love it here. It’s just sometimes…I wish we weren’t always separated. I mean besides like in Neverland. Even now, we’re back home, and I haven’t seen you or grandma and grandpa. And you know, Mom’s all alone dealing with everything too. And I know she won’t say anything, but I _know_ she’s hurting. And I know you guys hate each other, bu-”

“We don’t hate each other,” Emma immediately cut Henry off, thinking about the other night. “Listen, Henry. I know this can’t be easy, but we’re trying. I promise we are. We’ve all missed you so much, and we’re so happy you’re back kid. Just try and be patient with us.”

Emma wrapped her arm around Henry, her heart breaking. She had no idea what to say to him to make him feel better. She held him close and kissed the top of his head before pulling back to ask a nagging question.

“Henry, how do you know your mom’s upset?”

Shrugging, he replied, “I hear her at night. She cries every night before she goes to bed. She used to do that a lot when I was younger and then when you first came to town. She thinks I’m already asleep, but I’m usually still awake.”

Emma stared in amazement at Henry and his observation skills that never ceased to amaze her.

“Henry, how about I make you a deal.”

Henry immediately lifted his gaze from the sand, awaiting Emma’s proposition.

“I’ll talk to your mom, and we’ll work on spending more time as a family and fighting less. But I need you to try and be patient. Things aren’t going to change overnight. Okay?”

Henry thought about it for a minute, apparently observing Emma for any signs of a lie. Upon seeing none, he grinned and nodded encouragingly.

“C’mon. We’re gonna be late for dinner. Your grandma’s gonna kill us.”

“What do you mean ‘us,’” Henry smirked mischievously, reminding Emma all too much of Regina.

Emma was about to retaliate when she felt something wet fall onto her nose. Looking up, she saw that the sky had darkened slightly and a light rain was starting to come down. The two immediately ran back to Emma’s bug, laughing as the rain came down on them.

 

(x)

 

An hour later, Henry, Emma and the Charmings were gathered around the dinner table, just finishing eating. Emma had been thoroughly blamed for the pair being late as well as ruining Henry’s appetite by buying him ice cream (which was clearly untrue as he finished every last bite). Snow had cooked a large ham, sweet potatoes, a vegetable casserole, stuffed mushrooms and, of course, biscuits. It was, quite literally, a feast. Of course, there were no complaints from anyone; it was all delicious. Snow had even prepared a pumpkin pie (never apple) for dessert.

After they finished, Emma volunteered herself for clean-up duty while Henry suckered David into sword fighting with him (which resulted in swift warnings from both Emma and Snow to be careful).

The two women remained quiet as they washed the dishes, watching their boys play. However, Emma couldn’t stop replaying her conversation with Henry from earlier that day. She felt guilty. She wanted to be able to give him everything he wanted.

“Emma, what’s wrong?”

Emma turned to face a concerned Snow. She sighed and shrugged her shoulders before putting down the plate she’d been drying.

“It’s Henry. He’s just…I know that he wants this big happy family, but I don’t know how to give that to him.”

A look of hurt crossed Snow’s face, making Emma quickly backtrack.

“I mean, no I meant just…look. I never really knew what family was like…growing up. I just…don’t know how to give him what he wants.”

Emma swallowed a lump in her throat. She hated talking about her childhood, especially with her parents.

Snow seemed to be struggling with her own emotions as well, guilt written all over her face. She rested her hand on Emma’s and squeezed gently, drawing Emma’s gaze to her.

“I’m sorry that you don’t know how to be a part of a family. I wish more than anything that we could have showed you that growing up. But we, me and Charming, we will show you now. It’s not too late! We can be a family! Us, you, Henry.”

The shining optimism on Snow’s face almost made Emma believe her. Almost. She smiled nevertheless and squeezed her mom’s hand in appreciation.

“Anyways…I’ve gotta get Henry back. Regina’s probably anxiously waiting.”

“It wouldn’t kill her to have a little patience. It’s not like we ever get to see Henry. She has him all the time!”  


“Mary-Margaret. Henry is **her** son. She raised him. She is just as much his family as we are.”

_‘If not more.’_

The guilty thought shot through Emma’s mind. She’d been having similar thoughts of self-doubt ever since Neverland. Ever since Regina…

“I know, Emma. It’s just…hard,” Snow whispered, interrupting Emma’s thoughts. “Anyways, why don’t you head out. And here, take some pie for Regina.”

“Umm…I’m not so sure Regina is really going to want…”

“No, she probably won’t. But Henry will.”

Winking, Snow wrapped up pie for “Regina” (and an extra slice for Emma). Emma thanked both her parents and forced a protesting Henry out of the house with a promise that they would all do something together again soon.

 

(x)

 

Henry protested leaving up until about two minutes into the short drive home, when he fell asleep. Emma merely smiled. He looked peaceful, and he was, finally, safe; he was back home with his moms. _‘When did I start referring to me and Regina as Henry’s moms?’_ Her eyes narrowed slightly, creasing with concern as she glanced at Henry. Was it true? Was Regina really crying herself to sleep? The thought made Emma’s stomach curdle with sadness, anger and anxiety.

By the time they’d reached Regina’s, Emma felt like a worried mess, especially knowing that her and Regina needed to talk about… _previous events_ as Emma liked to refer to their kiss. She paused for a moment in the driveway, just staring at the front door. Shaking off her nerves as best as possible, she went around to the passenger side and picked Henry up and carried him.

She didn’t even have to wait to ring the doorbell. Regina threw open the door with a cross look on her face (probably because they were late). But her face softened at her sleeping son in Emma’s arms, and she smiled just slightly.

“Why don’t you take him upstairs, Ms. Swan.”

Emma carried Henry the rest of the way to his bedroom. He wasn’t that heavy, but he _had_ gotten big, and Emma was glad to be able to rest him down on the bed. She tucked him in, kissing his forehead, and was about to leave when he sleepily whispered.

“Emma, don’t forget to talk to my mom.”

“I won’t kid. Now go to bed.”

Henry didn’t need telling twice. He immediately fell back asleep. When Emma turned around, she was met with a confused and angry-looking Regina.

Regina silently moved past Emma, kissed her son goodnight and then headed back downstairs to the drawing room, Emma following behind her.

She poured the two of them some of her hard apple cider, and when she handed Emma her glass, she was struck with a flashback to the night on the ship when similar events had taken place. Emma seemed to be having similar thoughts as she quickly took the glass, her face blushing as she took a sip.

They stood there, silently sipping their drinks, both trying to gather the courage to speak what was on their mind.

“Well, it’s getting late,” Regina began. “I didn’t find anything useful, so there’s not much to discuss. Goo-“

“Nothing to discuss?” Emma blurted out in disbelief. “Regina, you and I both know there is plenty to talk about. We…I mean…”

Emma’s hand started massaging her neck nervously as she shuffled around. Regina stiffened at the use of the word “we” but said nothing.

“Regina…Henry. He…well, he said…what he wanted me to talk you about was…he, uh, he knows…or he…he hears you at night. Crying…”

Emma trailed off looking up at Regina. The brief look of fear before her mask slipped in place told Emma that she’d hit the nail on the head.

“It’s time for you to leave, Ms. Swan,” Regina replied stiffly.

“Regina, please-“

“Ms. Swan. This isn’t any of your concern. I have no intention of discussing my personal life with you.”

“Oh, but you’re okay with shoving your tongue down my throat.”

Both women blushed furiously, Regina more than Emma.

“I - that was…a drunken mistake…”

Regina avoided looking at Emma at all costs. Emma on the other hand, did everything she could to grab the woman’s attention.

“Regina…why?”

“Goodnight Ms. Swan.” Regina headed toward the stairs, but Emma grabbed her arm and spun her back around close to her.

“Why?”

“Like I told you Ms. Swan, it was a drunken mistake.”

“So you didn’t like it?”

Emma was fiercely staring into her eyes, awaiting an answer that Regina was too afraid to voice. She had spent the last three days replaying the moment in her head, and the more she thought about it, the more she knew that she more than just liked it; she craved it.

“Don’t.”

“Why? You’re the one who kissed _me_ , remember?”

“Well, I didn’t hear you complaining!”

“How could I when you had me pinned between you and the table!”

“Well if you had such a problem with it, then why are you still here?”

Their faces had drawn closer together during their spat until they were an inch or two apart. Their breath tangled together as fiery eyes battled each other for dominance, both flicking towards the other woman’s lips.

This time, it was Emma who made the first move, her lips crushing down upon Regina’s. It was a fierce, passionate kiss, angrier than their first. Their tongues dueled for dominance as Emma slowly started backing Regina against the nearby wall, a dull “thud” sounding when her back hit it.

Regina released a low moan that she’d been trying to hold back, and Emma grinned into the kiss as she moved down her jawline, then her neck, before finally settling on the space between her collarbone, her tongue darting out to soothe the sensitive skin. Regina had thrown her head back, thoroughly enjoying the attention until Emma’s hands snaked under her shirt to tickle the bottom of her ribcage.

Immediately, her frame went rigid and the reality of the situation came crashing down upon Regina. She tightly grasped Emma’s arms and pushed her back as hard as possible, making the blonde stumble backwards, confused.

“Wha-”

“I told you Ms. Swan. It is late. You need to go home.”

Without another word of explanation, Regina spun around and hurried up the stairs, the sound of a door shutting and lock clicking the only goodbye Emma received.


	5. I Have An Angel On My Shoulder, But A Devil In My Head

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There's a slight trigger warning for the torture Regina endured as well as homophobia.

_Regina found herself walking down a long, empty corridor of her castle in the Enchanted Forest. She recognized the elaborate double-doors at the end of the hall, and she started running, willing her feet to move faster. Her chest was heaving, head pounding, and she felt herself growing weaker and weaker, as if her feet could no longer hold the weight of her body. She was nearly dragging herself, but she finally reached the doors and pushed them open, her initial smile immediately shooting into a frown as the room was completely dark except for a single spotlight resting on a woman strapped to a metal table. Regina began panicking, immediately knowing who it was and what was happening. She spun around to go back but there was no door. And suddenly, she was on the table, wires taped to her temples. She struggled against the restraints, barely able to move. A shadowy figure, eyes glowing red, advanced on Regina._

_“No, no! Please, no. No more. Please,” Regina begged, tears streaming down her eyes._

_The figure merely cackled before excruciating pain echoed throughout her body, her back straining to arch against the restraints. It felt as though she had been thrown into a pit of needles. She tried screaming out, but her voice was hoarse. The pain stopped after a few seconds, but it felt as though every nerve was a crackling sparkler._

_Regina whimpered, turning her head to the side as much as possible, spitting a wad of blood. It was the most painful time yet, and she’d accidentally bitten her tongue._  

_“Please,” she whispered, barely even able to speak._

_She was met with an angry growl from the figure before, again, the pain shot through her body, stronger than before. Her eyes rolled into the back of her head, and she slowly felt herself slipping away into darkness._

 

(x)

 

A clap of thunder startled Emma awake, her eyes flashing open in fright as her hand darted under the pillow for her gun, trying to find the unknown assailant. Upon seeing no one in her bedroom, her eyebrows furrowed until her room was suddenly illuminated. Spinning her gaze toward the window, she saw the rain droplets that raced down the pane and realized it was nothing more than thunder that had disrupted her. 

Another burst of thunder had Emma burying herself beneath the comforter. She hated storms. Grabbing her phone, she checked the time: 2:47. She groaned, collapsing against her pillow as the room was once again illuminated. There was no way she’d be falling back to sleep anytime soon, so she dragged herself to the kitchen for some leftover pumpkin pie.

A sudden knock at the door interrupted her late-night snack, causing Emma to jump. Unsure of who it could possibly at this time, Emma cautiously approached the door, opening it just slightly to first see who was on the other side.

Ruby.

Confused (and, if she were completely honest, relieved), Emma opened the door all the way, ushering her friend inside.

“Ruby. What are you doing?”

Ruby grinned, taking off her jacket and shaking out her hair, not unlike her wolf-self.

“Emma. C’mon. I know how you feel about thunderstorms. I was not about to let you sit through this one alone. Besides, I feel like I haven’t seen you since you got back. Oh, pie!”

Ruby fled to the kitchen table, taking a bite while Emma’s brain tried to process the situation. After a moment, she shook her head and followed Ruby.

“Thanks Rubes.”

The two snacked in companionable silence. Emma was lost in her thoughts, and Ruby took the opportunity to study Emma. She knew the blonde had wanted to talk to her when they’d first returned to Storeybrook, but they’d yet to have a chance. She’d heard all about the kiss between Emma and Hook from Snow, and she figured that’s what this whole thing was about. Ruby couldn’t imagine why Emma was so hesitant to tell her anything; it’s not like they hadn’t shared multiple stories of previous relationships and flings.

Emma’s eyebrows knit together, and her fork hovered half-way between the plate and her mouth, as she lost herself in some unknown thought. Unable to contain her curiosity any longer, Ruby snapped the blonde’s attention back to the present.

“Okay, Emma. Spill. What’s going on?”

“I…er…something kinda happened in Neverland,” Emma sputtered, startled. “Well, on the way back from Neverland actually…I…uh…kissed someone. Well, they kissed me, but I kissed them back.” 

Ruby, whom had been practically bouncing up and down in her seat impatiently, merely rolled her eyes.

“Oh, come on Emma, that’s not news.”

Emma’s heart leapt into her throat as her head snapped up.

“W-w-what?”

“Emma. Everyone knows about you and Hook. I’m actually disappointed it took you this long to say anything.”

“What? No Ruby, that didn’t - I mean, yes, I kissed Hook, but that’s not who I was talking about. And for the record - big mistake. I mean…that’s not the only person…”

Emma found herself choking over her words, and Ruby’s reactions weren’t helping. As understanding of what Emma was saying registered to the wolf, her face took on a look of astonishment and then curiosity. The girl’s mind reeled at the possibilities, first settling on Neal, but she figured she would have heard news from Snow if that had happened. Who else was even a possibility except…Ruby’s eyes widened. 

“Regina?” she breathed.

Emma blushed a furious shade of red as her eyes darted around, trying to avoid Ruby’s gaze at all costs. It didn’t help that said gaze wound up falling on Ruby’s all-too-apparent cleavage (an action not lost on Ruby), which only caused her to blush more.

“Well…was it good?”

The question, though surprising, caused Emma to grin.

“Oh yeah. It was great. Even better the second time.”

Ruby grabbed Emma’s arm in shock.

“The _second_ time?”

“Oh, er yeah…we kinda kissed again tonight…”

“Okay wait. Stop. Start from the beginning and tell me _everything_.”

With a deep blush coloring her cheeks, Emma began telling Ruby what happened, starting with being tied to the tree. Ruby was a great audience member, not speaking but reacting when appropriate. By the time Emma had finished, Ruby was leaning back on her chair, amazed by all of the new information.

“Wow, Emma…I mean, I knew she had a thing for you, but I didn’t know you liked her.”

“Whoa wait a minute. What do you mean you knew she had a thing for me?”

“Emma…I’m a wolf. I can hear, see and smell things most can’t, and I can promise you, she has a thing for you.”

Emma took a moment to absorb what Ruby was telling her. Regina had feelings for her. _‘And you have feelings for Regina.’_ Emma quickly chased the thought from her mind, denying it, but knowing it was true. She felt like the entire kitchen had been turned upside down. 

“I need a drink,” Emma said absently, instead opting for another bite of pie, her face settling into a contemplative pout.

“So…” Ruby prodded. “What are you going to do about it?”

“I have no idea. Hell, she pushed me away. Maybe I shouldn’t do anything.”

Ruby gave her a knowing look, and Emma sighed. She knew she couldn’t do _nothing_. It wasn’t in her nature, and it would definitely just lead to more problems. Besides, whatever their feelings for each other, they had to remain on (at least) civil terms - for Henry.

“Well, _I_ think you should ask her out,” Ruby suggested after a few moments of silence. “There’s clearly something there between you two.”

“I don’t know Ruby…I mean, I’m straight. I don’t do relationships with girls.”

“Oh c’mon Emma. It’s just us. You don’t have to pretend.”

Emma just stared at Ruby like she’d grown a second head.

“Ruby, I’m not gay. Did you miss the whole part where I was in a relationship with Neal?”

“You don’t have to be gay to like girls, Emma. C’mon. It’s not that unusual. Quite common in the Enchanted Forest, actually. In fact, I had my own share of fun romps with a few women…” Ruby trailed off a moment, reminiscing on some unknown encounter before continuing. “I mean, I know you hadn’t said anything about being with a girl, but I just figured you weren’t exactly…out about it.” 

Emma stared incredulously as she mulled over Ruby’s words. Her body tensed, not liking where this conversation seemed to be going. She was highly uncomfortable. Emma knew she didn’t like women, and just because the kiss between her and Regina had been…pleasurable, it didn’t change that she was straight. She liked men. She didn’t like women. She _couldn’t_ like women.

“Oh c’mon Emma. It’s okay. You like girls! It’s not a big deal.” 

“Ruby, I don’t like women.” 

“Seriously, it’s no big deal.”

“Stop-” 

“I mean, who could you blame you? Have you _seen_ Regina’s le-”  

“I said stop!”

Emma raised her voice, careful to not shout too loudly so as to not wake anyone else in the small apartment.

“I don’t like women. It’s…not right, okay?”

Emma’s eyes remained downcast, and Ruby immediately felt guilty. It was quite obvious that not only was Emma uncomfortable, but she was also embarrassed and conflicted. Something about the blonde’s reaction told Ruby to shut her mouth, at least for now. 

The silence between them extended for far too long before Emma finally spoke up.

“I’m gonna go to bed. The storm’s died a bit. Thanks for coming over Ruby. I appreciate it. You can take my bed, and I’ll crash on the co-” 

“Don’t be silly. I’ll take the couch. Just go get a good night’s sleep.”

_‘You need it more than I do.’_

Emma gave Ruby a tight smile and awkward hug before heading off to bed and another sleepless night.


	6. I Wanna Stay Home Today

The next day, a dense fog covered the entire town, making driving near-impossible. Emma and David had no choice but to immediately shut down the streets and most buildings. One building that had been closed, much to Henry’s excitement, was the school.

Early that morning, Emma had called Henry saying that he’d be stuck at home with his mom. His eyes widened in excitement, and he immediately ran to Regina, announcing the good news. He offered to hand the phone over to his mom, knowing Regina was more inclined to believe Emma than him. The color drained from Regina’s face as she heard Henry’s offer, immediately trying to find an excuse to not talk to the blonde.

“Oh, uh, maybe later Henry,” Emma’s muffled response crackled over the speaker. “I gotta get going. Your grandpa and I are trying to make sure that no one’s stuck out in the fog, but I’ll talk to you later, okay? And uh…ya know, say hi to your mom for me.”

Too excited for his day off to notice the strange, strained tone in Emma’s voice, Henry wished her luck and hung up the phone before rounding on his mom.

“Emma says hi!” Henry said nonchalantly, plopping down into his seat at the table, moaning at the breakfast in front of him. “Oatmeal and fruit? C’mon mom. It’s my day off. Can’t I have pancakes or something?”

Regina, who had frozen in place during the conversation, couldn’t help but smile at Henry’s attitude.

“Well, I guess it _is_ a special occasion. Why don’t you grab the eggs?”

Henry jumped up before Regina had even finished her sentence, surprised and enthralled that his mom had actually given in to his request.

Regina wore one of her rare, genuine grins while gently shaking her head in amusement at her son. He was so much like her at times: fire and passion and attitude and too stubborn for his own good; but as he went around gathering the ingredients, Regina saw the parts of him that were Emma: energetic and hopeful and curious and always with that puppy dog pout that the two seem to have trademarked. Seeing both sides of him like this, a little bit of her, a little bit of Emma, she felt her heart swell with emotion. He was absolutely perfect, the only true happiness in her life.

“Mom c’mon!” Henry grabbed Regina’s hand, refocusing her attention and dragging her over to the ingredients he had haphazardly lain out. “Let’s make chocolate chip ones! And then later, we can play games and watch movies!”

Regina felt her hopes rise, happy that Henry had taken such an interest in spending time with her.

“I’d love that Henry.”

“Me too,” Henry smiled widely up at his mom before grabbing an egg and cracking it, followed by Regina trying to fish out the broken egg shells that had broken off into the bowl.

 

(x)

 

Several hours and (much to Regina’s dismay) many messes later, she and Henry had eaten their way through chocolate chip pancakes, played Candyland, Risk and Clue and had brought all the blankets and pillows from the house into the living room to build a fort. (It took some convincing on Henry’s part, including a deal to help Regina clean everything up and wash any blankets that might need it after they were done.)

When the two finished, they stepped back to survey their work. Thanks to having so many blankets, the fort was quite large. It stretched from the back of the couch to right in front of the television, allowing the two to watch some movies in their makeshift home.

Regina, quite proud of their work, nodded her head in quiet approval. Henry was much more enthusiastic about their accomplishment. He ran to get the camera, snapping pictures of the fort before insisting that Regina take a picture with him inside it. A few snaps later, and Henry took the camera and pointed it at him and his mom to take a selfie.

“Okay. Now that pictures are out of the way, let’s start a movie. What do you wanna watch first?”

“Hmmm…” Regina paused thoughtfully as she grabbed the (unbuttered) popcorn for the feature presentation. “I’m not sure. What do you want to watch?”

Henry, who obviously had a specific movie in mind, scrambled over to the television, popping in a DVD.

“Don’t look! I want it to be a surprise!”

Regina chuckled but obliged her son’s request, closing her eyes and putting her hands over her ears so that she couldn’t hear. Not long after, she felt Henry crawl into the back of the fort and sit next to her. He pulled his mom’s hands from her ears, and she opened her eyes, instinctively watching the opening credits roll.

“Do you know what it is?” Henry nearly bounced up and down in excitement.

Regina most definitely knew what movie it was. They used to watch it all the time when Henry was just a little boy. They called it their “mom and son movie night classic.” She hadn’t seen it in years; not since he got the book; not since he saw her as the Evil Queen. She felt her eyes water at the old memories, ones she treasured and never thought she’d ever get the opportunity to experience again.

“It’s Shrek! We used to watch it all the time before… Anyways, I know we always loved it, and I know you really liked Fiona. I thought it’d be perfect for a ‘mom and son movie night classic.’”

Regina looked down at her son, realizing just how much he had grown. She cradled his head in her hands before kissing his forehead and pulling him into a hug.

“Thank you Henry.”

Henry smiled brightly up at his mom. He was glad they’d had all day to hang out together. It had been years, and he knew a large part of it was because of him. He put space between them (though, he did have good reason - at least, in his mind). But he missed the days of being able to spend so much time with his mom, when it was just the two of them. He loved that he had such a big family now, but it often meant he didn’t spend much time with Regina.

Henry curled up into Regina’s side, who immediately draped her arm across him, pulling him into a tight side hug before grabbing some popcorn and tossing it into her mouth, Henry following suit.

For the next two hours, the pair remained relatively silent except for small comments here and there when they reached their favorite parts. When it neared the end, Regina tensed slightly as Fiona thought she was going to have to marry that terrible man. Even though she knew the outcome, every time, without a doubt, she would always become anxious and hold her breath, as if pleading for someone to save the princess.

As a child, Henry always thought it was because she just wanted the good guys to prevail; the innocent explanation had been enough to settle any questions he might have had. But now, with everything he knew, Henry understood that his mom was genuinely afraid that someone wouldn’t save Fiona; that by some impossible fate, Shrek would not save his love; that she would marry the awful man and be forced to live a lonely life, just like she had.

Henry looked up at his mom, whose eyes were glued to the movie. He’d spent so long condemning her for being evil that he’d forgotten her as his mom. And seeing Regina’s eyes glass over with unshed tears, he felt a wave of guilt crash over him. Henry curled closer to her for the rest of the movie, keeping a tight grasp on one of her hands.

By the time it was over, Regina had composed herself, but when she smiled down at Henry, she saw the troubled look on his face.

“Henry, what’s wrong?”

“I’m sorry, mom.”

“Sorry? For what?” Regina asked, confused as to what Henry was talking about.

“For treating you like the Evil Queen.”

“Oh…” Regina exhaled, the response taking her by surprise. “Henry, you don’t have to-”

“Yes I do. I know you were the Evil Queen and you did some bad stuff, but…you’re still my mom. And you’re not that person anymore. And I really missed you.”

Regina didn’t bother to try and stop the tears falling from her eyes. Henry, her son, her little boy, was so unbelievably intelligent and observant. Too much for his own good. His confession broke her heart.

“Henry, you have nothing to be sorry for. I should be the one apologizing. I…” Regina swallowed, bracing herself to voice what she had been afraid to until now. “I put you in therapy. I made you think you were crazy. I pushed you away just as much as you pulled away. I was wrong. And I am so sorry Henry. I missed you so much.”

Henry wrapped his arms around his mom, hugging her as tightly as he could. Regina did the same as her tears fell freely. When they finally pulled away from each other, Regina wiped away the remnants of tears on her face and sniffled her nose, composing herself as best as she could.

The loud rumble of Henry’s stomach broke the silence and the two broke out into laughter.

“I think it’s time that I made dinner. What do you say?”

“Can we order pizza? Pleeeeeasssseee?”

“Sure.”

Regina smiled at Henry as he jumped up and ran to grab the phone and order. He was magnificent and never ceased to amaze her.

Exiting the make-shift cave, Regina glanced outside, where the sun was peeking out behind dark clouds. The fog was gone.


End file.
